Steve Nugent became the Washington State University Head Soccer Coach, Feb. 3, 2014. In doing so, he became the sixth mentor in program history after spending the last three seasons at UNC Greensboro. His 2012 UNCG squad captured the Southern Conference regular season title.

From 2008-10, Nugent was an assistant coach at Georgia. The Bulldogs won 37 matches during those three seasons and advanced to the NCAA Championship twice. Nugent worked with goalkeepers and defense at Georgia and mentored goalkeeper Michelle Betos, who set the Bulldogs’ career record for wins while posting the second-highest single-season save total in school history. Georgia had 10 all-region selections in Nugent’s tenure and finished in the top 25 rankings twice.

Nugent’s career began in 1989 with Team Boca club soccer in Boca Raton, Fla. He served two stints there (1989-2000 and 2002-08). He was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Girls Youth Competitive Division South Region Coach of the Year in 2005. He helped Team Boca win 15 state championships and developed nine girls who went on to become national team members for the respective countries.

From 1994-97, Nugent was a volunteer assistant coach at Lynn. The Fighting Knights captured the 1994 and 1995 national championships in NAIA and were NCAA Division II runner-up in 1996.

During the 2000 season, Nugent was a graduate assistant at Florida State. The Seminoles earned their first NCAA berth, a trip to the NCAA Third Round and the school’s first postseason national ranking. He moved to Rice as an assistant coach in 2001 and helped the Owls qualify for the WAC Tournament in their first year of competition.

A native of South Boston, Mass., Nugent holds an NSCAA Advanced National Diploma with Distinction, a U.S. Soccer “B” License and a US Youth Soccer National Youth License. He is a 1996 graduate of Florida Atlantic, Nugent and his wife, Janna, have three sons, Trevor, Brady and Connor.